To have asked a 4 year old and 2 year old to let me sit down in the Doctors pharmacy?

[CandyLoo]

At a small, tightly packed, busy pharmacy opposite Doctors surgery.
3 chairs (barely any standing room).
A lady, and the 2 children taking up the 3 chairs.
2 children not ill, in there with their Mum collecting a prescription.
No free chairs, I asked if I could sit in one of the chairs.
Mum moved one of her children, the other moved to stand with her sister.
Mutterings from the lady next to me, and when she left, said rather pointedly to the child, 'Here you are love, sit in my seat'. They left soon after.
By this stage, the pharmacy was very busy, I have no qualms giving up my seat to anyone older than me or simply if anyone needs it.
AIBU? The lady sitting next to me obviously thought I was, rude comments about me to her husband when she was outside.

^basic manners & respect. thats why kids have little legs, their backsides are nearer tot he floor. If they cant stand there is a floor or a lap to sit on.

Adults get the chairs, thats life!^

So nothing to do with the fact they're growing then? Just so their 'backsides' are closer to the floor, so YOUR lazy backside can have a seat?

It isn't life at all. If there isn't a though out reason that makes sense, why should we do it? Just because someone down the line decided it would be good manners, doesn't mean its right. Its archaic.

cos thats the way it is,
same as saying please & thank you. nobody dies if you dont say it but everyone knows its good manners

Yes but you say those things for a reason.

Back in the day black people had to stand for white people, would you say 'thats the way it is' to that? No, because it's not right.
And neither is this, just not to that extent.

You must give your seat up for older people and younger people must stand.

Just no logic for me.

Apart from pensioners. That's all.

Also when does it become applicable? Do I get my 2 year old off the seat for the 22 year old young guy waiting for his prescription? Rightly or wrongly, I prefer to explain why we do something a certain way - so why would standing up for the. 38 year old woman be appropriate when (I'm imagining) it wouldn't for the 22 year old bloke?

Of course they're growing & when they get to be an adult then they dont have to sit on a lap or floor.
Thats life!

why wouldn't you put your 2 year old on your lap tincletoes so someone else could sit down? Surely that's obvious? I'd do it for a 15 year old, or an 85 year old. It's just budging up allowing more people to sit down.

You keep saying 'thats life' as though that explains things and makes it right.

It doesn't.

It used to be life that women couldn't vote, it used to be life black people only sat at the back of the bus as Iv'e said before.

haven't read the thread so maybe OP elaborated and I've missed it. If the dc had been sitting with their mother, I would have thought the mother could have put the 2 year old on her lap if someone looked like s/he wanted to sit down. I presume the mother was standing in a queue and made her dc sit down so she could keep an eye on them and they wouldn't go around handling anything. I probably wouldn't have said anything but I don't have any special reason for needing to sit down (health reasons etc). Maybe the old lady thought your tone was unfriendly or something.

Oh I totally would do that jim! But if I was standing up and for some small miracle they were sitting nicely, I wouldn't move them for someone my own age - simply because I suppose it would never cross my mind to resent the children if the roles were reversed.

what reason other than manners do you say please & thank you then Pickeldfanjo?

Its just manners/culture. Not every culture has equal expectation.

Why do some schools still ask for children to stand when an adult wlaks in to the room?
Its all just about manners, some people put a greater emphassis on it, doesnt mean one is correct & the other not, just different.

The mother wasn't sitting here.

It wasnt a case of all budging up and making do, which is a little different.

Please - your asking someone fit something

Thank you - someone has given you something or done some thing for you

Stand up for the healthy lady in thirties - illogical.

yes & things do eveoleve with culture lifestyle, progress & thankfully we lose those things that have anegative impact... like racism & sexism.

I suppose if someone proves that it has an adverse effect on children to teach them at a young age to give consideration to others (offerign a chair is just one example) then it will change too.
Until then it is a cultural thing.

I can't see it's a cultural thing.

If you want to do it fine and all that, but little kids who don't, that's also fine in my book..

If your dc offered me I'd say thanks but you stay there. Would be cute.

I wouldn't expect then to.

Please & thank you, if you leave that word off you have still asked or received the object. The word is just an expression of your gratitude = manners

Surely not at 2 though?

Yes max. Manners. You can't explain the manners behind this though it's a totally random act.

Why should you be grateful to someone for just living a bit longer?

But Everlong you are not answering the question. Why does a healthy 30 something who is quite capable of standing deserve more respect than a 2 year old. Why why why?? All the 30 something has done is be born earlier. Why does that command respect?!

I would offer my seat to someone who had difficulty standing for whatever reason but it would have nothing to do with respect. It would be out of consideration which is a totally different thing.